YouTube personality Yousef “Fousey” has opened up about his ongoing battle with depression nearly a year after a mental breakdown on a Kick livestream led to his detainment and hospitalization. In a series of heartfelt posts on his official X account on June 3, 2024, Fousey shared his struggles with mental health, revealing that he has faced suicidal thoughts and even attempted to take his own life.

Fousey’s career in content creation took a significant pause following the August 2023 incident. The breakdown, which occurred live during a broadcast, resulted in police intervention at his hotel room and subsequent hospitalization. Since then, Fousey has largely stepped back from the public eye, maintaining a minimal online presence and taking a hiatus from social media.

In his recent posts, Fousey expressed the deep emotional pain he has been enduring since the incident. He wrote:
“Ever since the live streaming incident last year that changed everything (again), I have been suffering deeply, and I don’t know how to escape this pain. Every day, I feel trapped in my own mind, suffocating, and battling suicidal thoughts.”

The Kick star went on to describe how his unsuccessful suicide attempt has left him feeling like a “dead man walking”:
“I even attempted to take my own life this year and failed. Now, I feel like a dead man walking—emotionless, empty, and stuck in a cycle of despair.”

Fousey, known for his vibrant personality and engaging content, also highlighted how his mental health struggles have isolated him from joy and connection. He shared how even joyous occasions, like a family wedding, are overshadowed by his despair:
“I could be with anyone in the world and I would sit there staring blankly with nothing to say. I am empty, emotionless, despondent, numb. Even at a recent family wedding, where I should have felt joy dancing with my mom, I was consumed by thoughts of ending my life.”

Additionally, he revealed a chronic struggle with sleep, stating that he has not “naturally slept” since 2022:
“One night that year, I woke up at 2 AM and couldn’t go back to sleep. I went 9 days without sleep. Now, without pharmaceutical sleep aids, I don’t get a second of sleep.”

Despite these profound challenges, Fousey expressed a desire to turn his pain into purpose by becoming a motivational speaker to help others fac ing similar struggles:
“The irony, I know. I feel like if I can get through this challenge, I can devote my life and purpose to helping people who go through the same struggles.”

However, he acknowledged the difficulty in helping himself:
“I’m stuck in this victim mentality. I am stuck accepting this reality. But I swear I cannot control my thoughts or what they’re making me believe. I’m drowning. I am dead but alive. I need help and don’t know how to help myself.”

Fousey also addressed his identity as a Palestinian-American and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, expressing solidarity with those experiencing depression. He concluded his posts with a message of support to others battling mental health issues:
“To anyone reading this who might be feeling the same way, know that you’re not alone. Our battles might be invisible to others, but they are real and they are hard. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that survival is an act of courage. Every day you choose to stay is a victory in itself.”

While it remains unclear if Fousey will return to streaming soon, his fans have responded with overwhelming support, sharing their own stories and offering words of encouragement.

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